Solihull Youth & Community Service Targeted Work

Solihull Youth & Community Service works on a number of issues based projects aimed at young people 13-19 years old and up to 25 with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. 

Hate Crime

Hate crime is a criminal offence; it's where someone is targeted because of thier race, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation or because of a disability.  We are determined to help young people who are suffering as a result of a hate incident.  We understand that you may feel nervous about reporting it, but we can help. 

We know there is significant under-reporting of hate incidents across the borough, which is why Solihull Youth Service has become an independant reporting centre for young people to come forward and report instances of hate crime. 

The new reporting centre facility will enable young people who have become victims or witnesses to report incidents in a safe and confortable environment.  All cases are treated with strict confidence, and young people can report an incident without having to speak to the Police.  A trained member of staff will be able to provide confidential advice and guidance, and appropriate support if required. 

If you wish to make an appointment with a trained member of staff call 0121 717 5800. 

Alternatively if you wish to report an incident directly to the Police, then contact West Midlands Police on 0345 113 5000 and ask for your local Police station.

Young Runaways

Every year in the UK an estimated 100,000 children and young people run away from home or care, with one in six ending up on the streets.  A young person might run away for various reasons, but when they do so it usually means something in thier life isn't going right.  These young people face a range of risks that come from having to find alternative places to stay and the means to survive.  Many can be targeted by adults or other young people in public places where they may feel safe because there are people around, but they can then become involved with drugs or sexual exploitation. 

The Youth Service provide information, advice and guidance for young people and would like to do everything possible to prevent young people running away from home and putting themselves at risk.  However, we realise this is not always possible, so we also offer support and assistance to young people who have run away from home. 

If you would like to make an appointment to speak to a trained member of staff please call 0121 717 5800. 

Relationships and Sexual Health

Think about all your different relationships.  They could be with close friends, a boyfriend or girlfriend - and maybe group of friends from School or the area you live in.  As we grow up, we develop relationships with lots of different people.  Learning about relathionships and sex is a normal part of growing up and having sexual relathionships is a healthy adult activity.  But deciding when is the right time to start having sex can be difficult.  Solihull Youth Service work in partnership with Just 4 U and provide a wide range of information, advice and guidance to help young people explore relationships in more detail and make informed choices, as a decision made about sex may change the rest of a young perons life. 

If you would like to seek information, advice or guidance about relationships and sexual health call 0121 717 5802 or visit the Just 4 U website at http://www.j4usolihull.co.uk/

You can also drop into your local Youth Centre see http://www.solihull.gov.uk/education/clubsandactivities.htm

Gaysol

Understanding your sexuality and becoming comfortable with it can sometimes be a confusing experience. 'Homosexual' is a word used to describe people who are sexually attracted to members of the same sex. Men who are attracted to other men are usually called gay men, and women who are attracted to other women are called lesbians. People who are sexually attracted to both men and women are called bisexual.

If you do think you may be homosexual, remember that you don't choose your sexuality, so there's no reason to feel that you're doing something wrong. You may want to tell people about your sexuality or 'come out' if you feel comfortable. There isn't a set time when you should have told your family and friends about your sexuality. Some people decide not to tell anyone at all, so don't let anyone pressure you into doing it before you're ready. Unfortunately, some people can be bullied or victimised because of their sexuality. If you are being bullied because of your sexuality, you should not accept it and talk to someone who can trust to help.

Solihull Youth and Community Service are committed to supporting all young people and organise a group called Gaysol to enable young people who are homosexual, bisexual or those who are questioning their sexuality to come together and take part in a variety of activities in a safe and supportive environment, as well as having the opportunity to be actively involved and influence decision makers across the Borough.

For more information visit http://j4usolihull.co.uk/gaysol/

Or call 0121 704 6314

See also GaySol Youth Project

Child Sexual Exploitation

Think about all your different relationships. They could be with close friends, a boyfriend or girlfriend – and maybe groups of friends from school or the area you live in. As we grow up, we develop relationships with lots of different people. It’s how we learn to enjoy healthy relationships, and that’s a great skill to have.

But things can go wrong along the way, and people might try to take advantage of you, forcing you into dangerous situations before you know it.  That’s why you need to be aware of warning signs that someone may want to exploit you– and to be very careful who you trust.

Sexual exploitation can be hard to recognise because you often believe you’re in a good relationship with the person – or people – who want to abuse your trust in them.

It could be a friend, or group of friends. It could be someone you think of as a boyfriend or girlfriend. It could be a person or a new group of people you’ve only just got to know. It could be someone you’ve talked to online.  But whoever it is, they could use clever ways to take advantage of your relationship– and that means you can be harmed almost before you know what’s going on. For example, someone might give you money, drugs, alcohol, gifts or somewhere to stay and then force you to do one or more of these things in return:

• Have sex with them
• Do something sexual to them
• Be touched inappropriately, in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable
• Look at or take sexual images – including films or pictures
• Watch them do something sexual, including having sex or touching themselves sexually

That’s why it’s so important to look out for the warning signs that someone’s behaviour towards you may not be all it seems.  It’s not always easy to tell. Sexual exploitation can happen to you, no matter what your gender, age or background – so you need to be careful who you trust.  And that means looking out for warning signs that someone might want to take advantage of you, whether you’ve recently met them or they belong to an existing group of friends.  One warning sign is when someone tries to get to know you better by giving you lots of attention and making you feel really special. They might buy you gifts or involve you in activities that seem exciting or fun. It becomes a problem if that person starts to try ways of controlling you, such as making promises they can’t keep, threatening you, or even becoming violent if you don’t do what they want.

They might also try and isolate you from your friends, family and other people who care for you. When that happens, it’s easier for an abuser to put you in dangerous situations or force you to do things you don’t want to do – with them or other people they know. That’s not doing you a favour – that’s exploitation.  Sadly, individuals who have fewer people looking out for them are even more vulnerable to sexual exploitation.

Solihull Youth Service provides support, information, advice and guidance for young people about this subject in group or one to one settings; including specialist support for young people who may be at risk or involved in sexual exploitation.

If you would like to make an appointment to see an advisor or find out more call 0121 717 5800

For further information see: http://www.solihull.gov.uk/staysafe/26396.htm